Tonight, the train was a conduit to a mass exodus of tourists and New Yorkers heading north for the long weekend. Rather than having to endure the dreaded traffic of tomorrow many seemingly had smartly chosen to leave early, lugging their luggage and babies along with them.
In a way, by living in Peekskill I feel like I'm on permanent vacation.
Well, sort of. I still have to get up early every morning to either go to work or get Milo; I still have to work for a living; and I still don't feel like we're completely settled in enough, to relax and feel like there is something on the long list of house repairs (we desperately need a new attic fan) or seasonal changes (30+ window screens) that I should be working on otherwise.
We're getting there though.
Initially, I had figured the end of May, but that's a week away and there's at least a summer's worth of changes that need to be made.
I'd try to do them late at night, but after taking care of Milo for an hour, dinner, a bath and a little prep for the next day, I'm kaput.
Plus, by Thursday morn I'm ready for the weekend.
Wednesdays are not merely hump days for me they are literally ones where I must go over a mountain.
Yesterday began at six AM when I drove into the city to barely beat the traffic. It only took a little over an hour, as opposed to the three hours it took last week when I left at 6:45.
Then, after work, I drive an hour into to Bloomfield to have dinner with the Boys; except this time Enzo had a middle school spring concert that began at 7 and after 7th grade orchestra, girl's chorus, boy's chorus and then band; you had the four equivalents for 8th grade. Ugh. Over the two hours Enzo only performed in one of those eight sessions.
When it finally ended at nine, I took the boys over to Subway for some sandwiches.
At 9:35 I was on the road again.
After stopping for gas, then a large espresso at the first Dunkin' off the Parkway, I went over Bear Mountain and finally arrived home around 10:30.
I was pooped even after the triple shot of caffeine, not only because of the long haul through this weekly journey around the world and back, but also because the last stretch of the journey, right after crossing the Bear Mountain Bridge, is Route 202, an ugly and utterly treacherous and twisting 4-mile trek in the dark along a cliff. I swear traversing this road is solely responsible for taking a day of my life away each week.
Nonetheless and allthemore, I do it, if only because I love my kids and need to endure despite the imminent danger and subsequent duress.
In Spanish we would say, "Vale la pena" - it's simply worth it, regardless of the pain and trouble.
(UPDATE: I was wrong, all these extra passengers are due to the West Point graduation happening this weekend. Just overheard two guys from down south chatting and chumming over their common destination up and right across the river from Peekskill.)
Photo Caption: Each trek along this 4 mile stretch each week takes a day off my life
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